When righteous Joseph wedded
was
to Israels Hebrew maid,
A glorious Angel came from
Heaven,
who to the Virgin said:
Hail blessed Mary full of
grace,
the Lord remains in thee:
Thou shalt conceive and bear
a Son
thy Saviour to be.

Thats wondrous strange quoth
Mary then
I should conceive and breed,
Being never toucht by mortal
man,
but pare in thought and deed.
Fear not, quoth Gabriel by
and by,
it is no work of man:
But only Gods, ordaind at
first
before the world began.

Which heavenly message she
believes,
and did to Jury go,
Three moneths with her
friends to stay,
Gods blessed will to show:
And then returnd with Joseph
back,
her Husband meek and mild,
Who thought it strange his
wife should be
untoucht, thus grown with
child.

Wherefore (thought he) to
shun that shame
he thought her to forsake:
But that Gods Angel in his
sleep
Gods mind did undertake.
Fear not just Joseph this thy
wife
is still a spotlesse Maid,
And no consent to sin (quoth
he)
against her can be laid.

For she is purely Maid and
Wife,
the mother of Gods own Heir,
The Babe of Heaven, and
blessed Lamb,
of Israels stock so fair:
To save lost sheep to Satan
sold,
whom Adam lost by fraud,
When first in Edens Paradise
the Lord had them bestowd.

Thus Mary with her Husband
kind,
together did remain,
Until the time of Jesus birth
as Scripture doth make plain.
Thus Mother, Wife, and Virgin
pure,
our Saviour sweet conceivd,
All three in one to bring us
joy,
of which we were bereavd.

Sing praises then both old
and young,
to him which wrought the help
of man
That thus without the help of
man
sent us the King of Kings:
Which is of such a blessed
power,
that with his word can quell
The World, the Flesh, and by
his Death
could conquer death and hell.

This very old carol was found in several collections
of English Broadsides. These Broadsides are frequently an important source for
collectors, together with the recollections of local singers and musicians. There are four "Broadside" versions of "When Righteous
Joseph" available on this web site, plus versions of this song published in
several carol collections. Versions on this site include: